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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25562620">Yes, I'm Here</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/thesoinsoda/pseuds/thesoinsoda'>thesoinsoda</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Avatar: The Last Airbender</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M, Hugs, Kissing, Post-Season/Series 03 AU, Post-War, Reunions, Romance, Southern Water Tribe, Waterbending &amp; Waterbenders, Years Later, Zutara, Zutara Week, Zutara Week 2020</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 12:28:50</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>446</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25562620</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/thesoinsoda/pseuds/thesoinsoda</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Years after the war, Katara tries to keep her mind off what she left behind. Oneshot, Zutara.</p><p>Zutara Week 2020, Day 1: Reunion (I know, I'm a day late... sorry!)</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Katara/Zuko (Avatar)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>17</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Yes, I'm Here</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Hello everybody! This is the very first fic I've published on here. R/R and please enjoy! Leave a Kudos if you so desire. :) We'll see how far I get with Zutara Week... I'm really new to writing.</p><p>Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar, not one bit! Just this little piece of plot.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The moon shines, the stars sparkle, and the heavens rejoice in color.</p><p>A young woman, daughter of the water, spins through her forms with quiet grace, quiet <em>power</em>. Under the southern lights she moves with purpose, trying to take her mind off of the world, off of the love she left behind to rebuild her home after the war.</p><p>A young man, son of the sun, watches her dance with unwavering rapture, unwavering adoration. A figure brimming with beauty and life amongst vast, empty expanses of white, she is a welcome sight after years of heartache, months of stress, weeks of preparation, days of travel.</p><p>At the sound of footprints in the snow, she turns. <em>Zuko.</em></p><p>Her eyes meet his, and he’s drowning in blue. How long has it been since he's basked in her serenity, since his gold has set her soul ablaze? She doesn't notice the rapture, the adoration, but who could when the object of their affections is as handsome as he? </p><p><em>Katara, </em>he breathes. She quickly averts her gaze, blood rushing to her cheeks. How could the whisper of her name make her heart stumble and race in the same instance?</p><p>A few strides forward and he is right in front of her, hands resting at her elbows. With a hand he tilts her chin upward, and their gazes anchor once more. <em>It's been too long,</em> he whispers as his thumb reverently strokes her cheek.</p><p>She leans into his touch and smiles, tears threatening to spill. The years apart haven't made her forget the way his calluses feel against her skin, the way his voice caresses her every thought, the way his eyes speak volumes in a manner meant only for her. <em>I missed you.</em></p><p>He lets out a breath he doesn't seem to know he's holding and rushes to bring her close. His arms, one at her waist and the other in her hair, embrace her as if she were to spirit away at any moment. Her arms wrap tightly around him, her face nestled into his shoulder, one hand grasping the fabric of his parka while the other gently rakes through the hair at the back of his neck. They hold each other, <em>finally,</em> impossibly happy.</p><p>They pull back just slightly, foreheads pressed together as her hands cup his face and his arms settle on her hips. His warm lips press into hers, and they sigh as they sink into each other's arms. Tears fall, hearts flutter, and hands shudder as they make up for lost time.

Breathing the same air, they exchange desperate murmurs of comfort, assuring each other that <em>yes, I'm real.</em></p><p>As dawn breaks, <em>yes, I'm here.</em><br/>
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